Defense contractor may jet from SD

The facility on Ruffin Road, with 530 employees, is the base for the company's division that manufactures airline auxiliary power units. Pratt & Whitney informed its employees on April 3 that it is considering relocating in an effort to become more efficient.

Pratt & Whitney said in a statement that the move, if approved, could "enhance our competitiveness in the market, leverage our network and best position the company for the future."

"As part of the proposal, the San Diego facility would close and its portfolio would be realigned," the statement said. "Pratt & Whitney AeroPower’s commercial business would transition to Pratt & Whitney’s small engine business, Pratt & Whitney Canada, and its military business would transition to Pratt & Whitney Military Engines."

The statement said that no decisions have been made and that the action would take place in phases over two years.

Pratt & Whitney, a United Technologies Corp. company, designs, manufactures and services aircraft engines, auxiliary and ground power units, and small turbojet propulsion products. It has 31,500 employees internationally, including 15,000 in the United States. About 9,000 work in Connecticut, home to the company’s corporate headquarters. Pratt & Whitney has 11,000 customers.

Pratt & Whitney reported an operating proﬁt of $1.6 billion in 2013 on revenue of $14.5 billion. Still, the company has been grappling with the winding down of military operations in Afghanistan and what a spokesman called uncertainty in the commercial jet engine spare parts business.

In August, Pratt & Whitney laid off 400 salaried workers across the globe, including 200 in Connecticut. This came after about 575 workers accepted a voluntary buyout in July.